Victoria leads way in fighting childhood obesity

VICTORIA leads the way in fighting childhood obesity with 25 Victorian suburbs topping a national list of key locations in the battle.

Lisa Cornish

HeraldSunJanuary 24, 20147:12pm

Children are more likely to be active and eat right in suburbs where double-income households make sport and quality fruit and vegetables more affordable.Source:News Limited

VICTORIA leads the way in fighting childhood obesity with 25 Victorian suburbs topping a national list of locations where children are more likely to eat healthily and participate in sport.

Exclusive analysis by Herald Sun has revealed the suburbs with the key features likely to prevent childhood obesity and found areas along Melbourne's fringe - including Keilor East, Darley, Templestowe, Wesburn and Healesville - were the best in the state.

But many of the city's eastern and northern suburbs have all the features to be a breeding ground for childhood obesity.

More than 200,000 Australian children aged 2-15 are obese; more than 20,000 of them are aged 2-4.

Nutrition Australia spokeswoman Aloysa Hourigan said parental influences, public parks, sporting facilities and access to healthy food are critical in determining if your child is at risk of becoming obese.

"All of these things can lead to obesity problems in children," she said.

The demographics of areas such as Eumemmerring and Broadmeadows, with high unemployment and a large proportion of foreign-born residents, reduces the likelihood of children participating in sport and increases the likelihood of them being less active.

Less income also means less likelihood of eating healthily.

"Where there is less money to spend, people tend to buy food they know their family will eat and not waste," Ms Hourigan said.

"It is not necessarily the healthy option."

The temptation of an easy meal from fast food restaurants dominates health concerns in Melbourne, Shepparton and Frankston.

"Fast food can become an option if you're tired or on the run," Ms Hourigan said. "But it should only be an option less than once a week."

Children are more likely to be active and eat right in suburbs such as Princes Hill, where double-income households make sport and quality fruit and vegetables more affordable.

More than 80 per cent of children in Princes Hill consume two or more serves of fruit a day, compared to less than 60 per cent in Eumemmerring.

Remote areas of the state were least likely to have walking and cycling tracks, public parks or sporting facilities to encourage fitness, while Gembrook and Lorne have more than 100km of pathways built exclusively for walking, running or cycling.

Dr Ian Boyd, national medical director for Medibank, said the analysis "hits the nail on the head" in understanding obesity issues facing young Australians today.

"Diet and exercise, access and encouragement are the key in fighting childhood obesity," he said.

"It used to be easy to identify an overweight child in their swimmers," Ms Collins said. "But when they are standing next to other children the same size, it is hard for parents to recognise a problem."

Dr Boyd has seen children becoming less active and said it was too easy for parents to find excuses not to be healthy. But the consequences of these choices include diabetes, heart diseases, leg injuries and depression.

"Type 2 diabetes used to be associated with old age but is now happening in kids," he said. "There is also self-esteem and bullying that goes with the social stigma of being obese."

However, town planning, open spaces and suburb features are less important than encouragement and positive role models.

"Any effort a parent puts in to be healthy benefits the family," Ms Collins said.

It is message echoed by Dr Boyd: "It is parents that need to provide positive role models, incentives and encouragement for their children.

"It is too easy to find excuses not to be healthy. When it comes to your kids there are no excuses."